LAWRENCE WINS MX2 & CARMICHAEL AWARD AT 2017 ‘NATIONS

Hunter Lawrence lit up the 2017 Motocross of Nations on his Suzuki RM-Z250, putting in two great moto scores to win the MX2 class and get awarded the Ricky Carmichael Award for best young rider. Jeremy Seewer also came through the field really well in both motos to get fifth overall in his class while Kevin Strijbos helped team Belgium to fourth overall, just missing out on a podium spot.

In what were tough, muddy conditions, Lawrence showed great speed against the 450 machines, grabbing great starts and making passes on riders much more experienced than himself. He had this to say about his award-winning performance: “The day started off really well, with a good start on my RM-Z250. It was a good race with the 450s and I ended up fourth which was really cool, finishing ahead of some top-quality riders and I was the first MX2 rider across the line. It was a short break between the two motos and I didn’t get as good of a start in the second race and I had to work my way through the pack. There was so much mud on my helmet and I had to take the goggles off but I was riding well and making passes. I took a rock to the eye at one stage and that hurt a lot but others were making mistakes and I kept charging and eventually got up to third. Unfortunately, my helmet was falling down across my eyes and I couldn’t see so well and I crashed a couple of laps from the end. Obviously it was a massive let down for myself as I ended up finishing eighth after that mistake. I still won the MX2 class and won the Ricky Carmichael award for best young rider so I’m really happy with that and with helping Australia to a sixth overall.”

In Seewer’s first big race on a 450, he performed admirably in the difficult conditions picking up a top-10 result and playing a big part in Switzerland’s sixth place finish. “For the bad starts I had in both motos, today went all right”, said Seewer. “I had a lot of spinning on the gate, which perhaps was due to the fact I don’t have too much experience starting on the 450. Both of the races I was pretty much dead last which in a mud race isn’t very good at all. In the first moto I had a couple of crashes after one guy hit me but I came back pretty good to 14th. I wasn’t overly happy with it but my riding was good and that was important. In the second moto I made a lot passes on the first lap after the bad start, coming from like 35th up to seventh. Antonio Cairoli then passed me and I had another problem with a lapper and I ended up ninth. Switzerland ended up fifth. It was our joint-best result in our history and it just means that we need to have a really good day to get on the podium.”

While Strijbos wasn’t happy with his personal level of riding, both his moto scores were counted as Belgium finished in fourth place overall. “Today wasn’t a good day for me as I just couldn’t find my speed or rhythm at all. It was just a bad weekend from yesterday to today, I felt so bad on the track and couldn’t get anything going at all. I tried my best, just like I always do and I’m glad I helped Belgium to get fourth overall, but I don’t feel satisfied with how I rode personally. I really wish I could have placed higher because I normally do so much better at this race, but this just wasn’t my weekend.”

So that brings an end to a very successful 2017 season for the Suzuki World Team and the riders. There were plenty of positives from all throughout the year and the results at this final race are further proof of just how well Lawrence, Seewer and Strijbos have acquitted themselves all season long.